On the 3rd of August in Hebei Province, at the Shijiazhuang Ring Road Bus No. 1, a 70-year old grandfather with a cane stepped inside to take the public transport. At that time, the bus is already full of people. Many were already standing.

Two youngsters in front stood up to give their sit to the elderly. Who would have thought–the old man just waved no thanks to them and walked straight to the back. He saw a seat which was occupied by a little girl and requested her to let him sit instead. The girl was wearing headphones and apparently was listening to music.

Seeing the girl made no response whatsoever, the old man pushed the girl and reacted loudly, “What bad manners! An old person is in front of you, and you do not automatically understand that you should give up your seat. What kind of upbringing is this?!”

After being pushed, the girl removed her headphones and realized what just happened. “What did you push me for?! Can you not say it a nice and proper way? Besides, were there not some people who gave up their seats for you in front?”

Unnerved at the girl’s tough attitude, the old man sat down on the girls legs instead. The girl was taken aback that she pushed the old man away angrily and took out her cellphone ready to dial 110.

Fortunately, the passenger beside her was able to hold on to the old man; so he did not fall to the ground. At that point, the driver stopped the bus at the curb while many of the passengers scurried out. Then that was the time the argument between the old man and the young girl stopped.

Reactions online–

The old man did not mean what he did. But this is just plain exaggerated!

Obviously they are a bunch of rogues. The Public Security Bureau should punish this sort of people.

Don’t know what they’re thinking–it’s all very silly.

So far, it seems that many agree that the old man was wrong–

Little Girl vs Old Man

But it does get a little frustrating when people do not give up their seat to those in need. The rule is (as it is repeatedly reminded in the bus and metro) to let those in need seat first. By “in need”, it means the elderly, the weak, and the pregnant.

Not wanting to sound self-righteous, admittedly, it is not in China that I “learned” that sometimes you should be “selfish” when it comes to taking the public transport. Though it is in China that I first used the phrase “fight for your seat”. So childish of me, I know. People really push you around, so I justify “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

What are your views on this?

There are 5 ways to beat the traffic and get to the Shanghai World Expo 2010 happy and sane.

1. If  You Drive

No parking lots for private cars are set up in the Site and its immediate vicinity. Only vehicles with Expo passes will be allowed in. To ease traffic around the Site, 31 new one-way routes can be used. Five major P+R (park and ride) lots at Shanghai International Circuit, Hongqiao Transport Hub, and Songjiang District can accomodate 10,000 cars.

2. If You Go By Taxi

Some 4,000 high-end World Expo taxis can take visitors in and out of the Expo Site, mainly through phone and online reservations. The taxis offer services to people inside the Site where private cars are offlimits. The Site is open to other taxis after 9pm.

• To reduce the traffic pressure, there is a traffic-controlled area around the Expo site, which has Luban Road, South Zhongshan Road No. 1, Guohuo Road as border in Puxi section; Yaohua Road, South Pudong Road, Nanmatou Road as border in Pudong section, covering 7 kilometers.
• Only transportation vehicles with Expo permit, Expo-designated taxis, and public buses are allowed to enter the controlled area.
• The parking lots in the controlled area are for reserved Tourist Group buses and Expo special bus lines.
• Normal taxis are allowed to enter the traffic controlled area during 21:00 to 07:00 the next day only.
• There are 4,000 Expo-designated taxis, which can enter the controlled area during the 24 hours.The taxis are in green, with paintings of China pavilion, Oriental Pearl, and Nanpu Bridge. The tires are yellow. The taxi calling number is on both sides: 96822. Press 1 for reservation, press 3 for consulting and complaining. They have English-speaking staff.
• Taxi fares: Daytime: The flag-down fare is at RMB12 for every 3 km; for the drive above 3km, RMB2.4 per kilometre; for the drive above 10km, price is RMB3.6 per kilometer. Night time (23:00-5:00): The flag-down fare is at RMB16 for every 3 km;   for the drive above 3km, RMB3.1 per kilometre; for the drive above 10km, price is RMB4.7 per kilometer. For waiting or speed lower than 12km/hour, the extra charge is: every 5 minutes equals 1km drive.

3. If You Go By Ferry

Four boarding areas, or “water gates,” on the Huangpu River enable visitors to take water vessels to the Expo. Three docks (Pudong’s Qichangzhan area, Puxi’s Shiliupu area, and Qinhuangdao Road) handle group tours. The fourth, on Pudong’s Dongchang Road, handle individual travelers.

They can serve at most 18,000 visitors per day.

The address of the four “water gates” are as follows:1 Qinhuangdao Rd
1 Qiancang Rd
1 Dongchang Rd
(serve individual travelers)

Ferry to and from Expo (click image to enlarge)

4. If You Go By Bus

Transport hubs, including the city’s two airports, two railway stations, and the international circuit, have dispatched 16 direct bus lines to the Site, to carry 15 percent of the visitor volume.Another 10 percent of visitors are expected to take 20 regular bus routes, which will provide extra services for the Expo.Authorities have also set up six shuttle bus routes, 105 runs a day, taking people in suburban areas to outlying stations of three subways: Lines 7, 8 and 9.

In neighboring cities in the Yangtze River Delta, direct bus routes set off from 19 tourism bus centers. An estimated 3,800 tourism groups will arrive per day.

Bus Lines (click images to enlarge)

• 16 direct special Expo bus lines are operated in external transport hubs and main public transport hubs, all of which directly arrive at the exlusive parking lot surrounding the entrances/exits of the Expo Pudong section.
• Except No.13 bus which sets a stop nearby Expo Avenue station, all the other bus lines head to the Expo site without stop.
• All the destination stops are within 100 meters to the Expo Entrance/Exit Gates.

• The 20 Expo bus lines (17 to 36) are based on the regular public bus lines, but adjusted to only 1-3 stops. Most of the lines have the destination stops within 100-200 meters to the Expo entrance/exit gate.

5. If You Go By Metro

Five Metro lines arrive near the Expo Site, with Line 13 taking passengers to three stations within the site: two on the Puxi side and one in Pudong. Line 13, which has three stations, runs at six-minute intervals and about three-minute intervals during peak periods.Expo ticket holders can take the trains free after security checks at the Madang Road Station, where it connects with Line 9 in Puxi. The six-carriage trains can carry 40,000 passengers per hour.Lines 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 are expected to carry 100,000 riders per hour to nine stations near the Site during peak times. The lines run until midnight. Free shuttle buses take people between the stations and Site.

Shanghai Metro Map With Expo Entrances Overlap (click images to enlarge)

• Stations with * are transfer stations.
• There may be more free shuttle buses from stations to entrance gates later.
• There is no set fares for the metro lines. It varies according to the lines and distance, from RMB3 to RMB9 for a one-way metro trip.
• Since 24 April 2010, you can buy the one-day pass for the metro ride, which enables you to travel by metro in 24 hours unlimitedly.
• Please try to avoid the rush hours for Expo: 9:00-10:00, 17:00-19:00.
• Most metro lines operate from around 5:30 till 22:30. Please check the timetable when you are at the metro station.   The metro lines 4, 6, 7, 8, and 9 will lead directly to the 2010 Expo Garden.
• Metro Line 13 (World Expo Special Line) is for Shanghai Expo only. There are 3 stations: Madang Road, Lupu Bridge, Expo Avenue. Madang Road Station is outside Expo Garden and is a transfer station with Line 9; Lupu Bridge station is in Puxi Section and Expo.

Special lanes only for bus with Expo pass

• For buses bigger than 17-22 seaters, and/or groups of 15 pax or more, travel agencies will reserve the parking lot and entrance gates in advance; the groups should enter the site and go through the security check together, through Group Gates.

• For cars and mini-buses, individual booking of 1-14 pax, they are not allowed to enter the traffic-controlled area. If a private transfer is requested, passenger can be dropped off at Madang Road Metro station, Gate 9. You can take the Line 13 (special expo line) to enter the site. You go though the security check here, and it is free of charge with your Expo ticket.

Travel Inside The Park

Expo Site Transportation Map (click image to enlarge)

• On most occasions, visitors can get to pavilions on foot in the Expo Site.
• Since the Expo Site is divided by the Huangpu River and there is quite a distance between the zones, there is a public transport system inside the Expo which includes the metro line, bus, and cross-river ferry.

Free Bus

Visitors are able to find a shuttle bus station every 250 meters within the Expo Site, and buses roll by every minute. A total of 120 buses roll by every three minutes to take about 220,000 visitors between the Pudong and Puxi Expo sections.Another 42 shuttle buses stop along Expo Avenue on the Pudong side.On the Puxi side, there are also buses running along Longhua Road E.

Paid Bus

Besides free shuttle buses, visitors are also able to tour the grounds for a fee on eight-seat, golf cart-like vehicles. They run on the elevated pedestrian roads and have capacity to take about 10,000 visitors every day.

Ferry

Twenty-two ferry boats and 13 tour ships take visitors across the river. The boats run about 600 times per day to take 240,000 visitors.

Metro

Metro Line 13, which has three stations in the Site, runs at six-minute intervals and about three-minute intervals during peak periods.

How To Avoid Rush Hour

The following tips are given by the traffic authorities:

1. Delay your visits to the Expo site until after 10am to avoid rushhour traffic.
2. Enter the site from the five entrances in Pudong rather than the three in Puxi. This is because about 75 percent of the ticket machines are located on the Pudong side.
3. Organizers will inform the visitors which entrances have fewest people by sending short messages and displaying the information on large screens at the entrances to the site.
4. All group visitors will enter the site from Pudong.

Downloadable Expo Maps

Click on the images below to download PDF copies of the following maps:

Get a copy of the Expo Site Plan here.

SOURCES:

EXPO Shanghai Newsletter, Official EXPO map, Shanghai Metro map, and a bunch of miscellaneous facts and finds compiled.

In a video statement, Commander Seyfullah of the Turkestan Islamic Party claimed credit for several attacks, including the May 5 Shanghai bus bombing which killed three; another Shanghai attack; an attack on police in Wenzhou on July 17 using an explosive-laden tractor; a bombing of a Guangzhou plastic factory on July 17; and bombings of three buses in Yunnan province on July 21.

Three people were killed as a result of the explosion on the crowded bus in Shanghai on May 5, police and witnesses said.

The incident occurred during the morning traffic rush hour in northwest Shanghai and also left 12 people injured.

At the time, authorities attributed the blast to flammable materials carried by a passenger.

But Seyfullah said the blast was the work of his group and warned of more explosions to come.

…read the rest.

I quickly questioned the “official story” given by Chinese authorities after the incident that the bus merely caught fire. While I fully understand the idea that we don’t want to cause needless panic amongst the citizenry, I (and a lot of Shanghainese) do feel a bit vindicated that the truth has come out…of course, provided the Turkestan Islamic Party isn’t just misappropriating credit.

In light of this, I do feel a bit for the Chinese central government, dealing with “splittists” and “terrorists” on one side while having to fend off the constant criticisms of “the West” on the other. But hey, welcome to the big leagues, China. Please take a seat next to the United States. There’s always a price to pay for greatness, everyone pays it, and “harmonious, peaceful China” is no exception.

I’m curious how this might (or if it will) play out in China’s domestic media. Let me know in the comments if you see any news reports on this.

7/26 UPDATE from Elliott:

via Kaiser Kuo of Digital Watch, here is what is supposed to be the Turkestan Islamic Party’s video (Arabic) claiming responsibility:

7/26 UPDATE from Elliott:

The Guardian.Co.uk (via Reuters) reports the denial of Chinese authorities that the May 5 bus explosion was not the work of this group:

Chinese authorities denied claims by a group calling itself the Turkistan Islamic Party that it was responsible for deadly bus explosions in Shanghai and Yunnan province ahead of the Olympic Games, the official Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.
The group released a video threatening the Beijing Olympic Games and claiming responsibility for deadly bus explosions in Shanghai and in Yunnan’s Kunming, a terrorism monitoring firm in Washington said on Friday.
But Xinhua reported that a police investigation of the Shanghai blast on May 5 had nothing to do with “terrorist attacks”.
The blast, which killed three people and wounded 12, was caused by inflammables such as oil, Cheng Jiulong, Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau deputy head, was quoted by Xinhua as saying.
“The blast was indeed deliberate but had nothing to do with terrorist attacks,” he said.

7/26 UPDATE from Elliott:

John Kennedy at Global Voices Online also posted on this and highlighted the fact that the Turkestan Islamic Party may not actually be ETIM, the East Turkestan Islamic Movement.  Also, he posts what may be a translation to the video, also posted on the IntelCenter website:

恐怖份子 Turkistan Islamic Party Commander Seyfullah: “Our damullah, Abdul Heq, made his final order to the [person] responsible for the military regarding the issue of severely attacking all central cities in inner China, particularly focusing on eight cities that are going to hold Olympic games. … ask our merciful Allah to allow these brothers and sisters [suicide bombers] to deal a fatal blow in this jihad against Chinese & we ask our merciful Allah to completely stop Olympic Games. … Bomb Chinese government buildings, military barracks, airplanes, airports, railways, hotels, entertainment venues, tourist spots and similar places…You’re even permitted to use biological weapons this time.”
Hopefully, this topic will not become too sensitive such that this post gets blocked.

Kenneth Tan at Shanghaiist also covers the story in more depth than we have here.

Today, as a traveler, you only need to know Shanghai South Railway Station (上海南站) and Shanghai Railway Station. They are the major stations for passengers. In Shanghai Railway Station, there are two squares: South Square (南广场) & North Square (北广场). South Square is in front of the station waiting building (候车楼，hòuchē lóu). North Square is a hub for long distance buses. So if you want to take trains, you only care about South Square.

Getting there

1. Metro: Both Metro Line 1 and Line 3/4 have a stop called “Shanghai Railway Station”. Notes: 1. Line 3/4 is the same line at this station; 2. Stations of Line 1 and Line 3/4 are not directly connected. Passengers need to exit one station and reenter the other which means to pay twice.

2. Taxi: It takes me about 22 RMB and 15 minutes from JingAn Temple area to the station by taxi in weekends. So it is a very convinient option in non-rush hour. All taxi stop at an underground parking garage in South Square. Always say “South Square” when taxi driver asks you.

3. Buses: Many buses have terminals at the railway station as bus is still a major transportation option for majority of locals. But, the travel time is never esitmatable. Not recommended.

This is the underground garage for taxi to unload passengers. Follow the sign (below) to go upstairs.

On the South Square

Once you are on the South Square, you will see this glass-walled building when you are facing north. The red banner says ” Warmly Celebrate ‘May 1st’ International Labor‘s Day“.

There are two HUGE signs like this on the east and west entrances of the building (候车大楼，Waiting Building). It says” Entrance: enter the station with a ticket (of a train) that departs within 2 hours”.

Pay attention to the digital bill boards on both sides before you head upstairs. It will tell you which rooms to wait for your train.

Go to Room 9 (9号) on first floor (ground) (一楼) if you are taking Shanghai to Kowloon (九龙)/Guangzhou East Railway Station (广州东) train that departs on odd dates (e.g. May 1st, 3rd, 5th..). Go to Room 0 (0号) on second floor (二楼) if you are taking Shanghai to Guangzhou East Railway Station train that departs on even dates (e.g. May 2nd, 4th, 6th…). NOTE：In this borad, it says the arrangement is for the “current month” (May 2008). So you might want to double check if you are traveling in the future months. Otherwise, follow the instruction on the bill boards.

This sign tells you which waiting room you should go to take China Railway Highspeed (CRH) trains (buillet train, 和谐号, 动车组). For example, if you are taking D416, go to Room 3 or 4. If your seat is in carriage (车厢) 1-8, go to Room 3. Otherwise, Room 4.

But, I was disappointed to see the English sign says: “Moves The Vehicle Crew Waiting Room” which is translated from “动车组“ word by word. I don’t understand why the high speed bullet trains are called “动车组”, so it is not suprised to see Google translates it as ” Multiple Units“.

5 seats a row, clear and all non smoking. Nice train, isn’t it?

Follow this poster on the back of each seat, you wil know where to find water and restroom (toilet)!

Leaving the Station

Most likely, you are walking in a tunel after getting off the train. If you are not going to connect to a long distance bus, always take “South Square” (南广场) direction. Right before the exit, you can decide to take Metro or ground transportations. The taxi garage entrance is on the right-hand side (west) of the square, walk towards “停车场” on the ground and go downstairs. Where there is a line, there is taxi.

Speculation aside, the official media and police insist that the Line 842 incident was not an “explosion” and just a “fire.” Initial coverage by Xinhua said it was an explosion but has since been revised to the bus having caught on fire.

Original Xinhua quotation at Shanghaiist:

At least three people were killed in a bus explosion in Shanghai at about 9:00 a.m. Monday, according to fire fighters who rushed to the scene.

The cause of the explosion is not yet known.

Fire fighters estimated that there were about 50 passengers on board the No. 842 Bus, which suddenly exploded en route between the Guoxing Road and Shunguo Road in Yangpu District, to the northeast of Shanghai.

Current news copy at Xinhua:

Three people died and 12 were injured when a bus caught fire in Shanghai at about 9:00 a.m. on Monday, said police.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation. The injured have been sent to hospital, according to the police.

The fire was put out within half an hour. Fire fighters estimated there were about 50 passengers on board the route 842 bus.

The fire broke out when the bus was running along the Huangxing Road in Yangpu District, in the northeast of Shanghai.

Normal traffic around the accident site resumed at around 10:30a.m., as police had moved away the wreckage.

A witness said that passengers on the air-conditioned vehicle failed to open the windows and escape. The only way to get out the bus was through the door.

An elderly woman passenger said she saw the fire break out at the rear of the bus.

“It was chaos. I was holding my granddaughter, when people pushed me off the bus,” she said.

I don’t really want to add fuel to the fire (zing!) and I’m certainly not an expert nor a pyromanic but I do find a few things to be questionable:

1. For a fire to kill three and injure 20, it had to have been a pretty big fire that got pretty big pretty damn quickly…you know, *cough* like an “explosion.”
2. I’ve seen packed Chinese buses and I’ve seen packed Chinese buses empty with a quickness. Therefore, I find it pretty difficult to imagine 50 people vacating a bus so slowly, once someone begins screaming “fire!”, that three people actually had the time to burn to death. Moreover, people don’t actually burn to death that quickly.
3. Judging by how badly charred the bus appears in pictures, I’m forced to wonder about the “firefighters who rushed to the scene.”

Again, I’m neither an expert on explosions and fires nor was I an eyewitness. However, I do find some of the details to be counter-intuitive relative to the official story. Naturally, I certainly hope this was not a terrorist act and was just a horrible but random tragedy.

For more information and links to various Chinese news sources and pictures, visit Shanghaiist’s coverage here.

It is also remarkably unremarkable.

You really do not want to hang out there.

Yes, you’d think such a cosmopolitan first-tier city like Shanghai would have an impressively cosmopolitan airport like Hong Kong’s, filled with name-brand shopping and palatable dining options for the legions of travelers passing through each day, but as far as major international airports go, Shanghai’s PVG sucks (so does Beijing, but that’s a story the Imagethief tells best). Get past immigration, head for the exits, and make your way to downtown Shanghai, where it is far more interesting.

If you’re foreign to Shanghai, and no one was sent to pick you up, there are three common methods for getting from the airport into the city center, which is where you’re most likely headed. Each of these options are detailed below, with pros, cons, instructions, and some useful tips.

Method 1: Taxi

Why: Convenience. Unless there is a long line of people waiting to get taxis, this is your option for door to door service, and especially useful if you have a ton of luggage. The major drawback will be the cost, and the risk of dishonest drivers intentionally taking a less-than-direct route from the airport to your stated destination. Unfortunately, this risk gets higher the more foreign you appear and the less familiar you are with Shanghai’s roads/geography.

Typical rates during the day to the Puxi side of downtown Shanghai will be around 150-170 RMB. To the Pudong side, around 100-130 RMB. As long as you’re certain your destination is in the city center, you should get worried if the fare hits 200. A vein on your forehead should pop if you see 300.

When: Anytime. Note that fare rates will be higher at night, from 11:00pm to 5:00am.

How: Look for signs as you exit the terminal. Taxis will typically wait for passengers by the curbside, you can’t miss them. Grab an empty taxi, load up your luggage, have a seat, and tell the driver where you’d like to go. Having the destination written down or printed out, especially in Chinese, often helps, but the driver should recognize most major hotels or city streets. Switch taxis if they claim they don’t. It isn’t worth the hassle.

Sit in the back if you want to feel important. Sit in the front for a better view of where you’re going. The front seat may also give you a slight psychological edge with regards to keeping the driver honest. You can keep an eye on the fare meter and the see the freeway/road signs more clearly. Even with the protective plastic cage around the driver, you could also theoretically reach around and choke the bastard if he’s messing with you.

Method 2: Shanghai MagLev (then Metro or Taxi)

Why: Fast. Sorta. The airport is located quite a ways from downtown Shanghai, approximately 45 minutes from city center without too much traffic. The MagLev will get you from the airport to the Longyang Road MagLev/Metro station on the Pudong side of downtown Shanghai in as little as seven minutes. A taxi would take about 30 minutes for the same trip. The problem is, sometimes you have to wait for the train and you need to walk between transfers, both of which take additional time.

However, riding the MagLev has novelty value. It floats on magnets and is, like, really fast. It also costs about as much as a taxi for covering the same distance. More importantly, it at least gets you from the airport to Pudong without the risk of taxi driver shenanigans. Once you reach the Longyang Road station in Pudong, you have the option of transferring to the Shanghai Metro subway system or switching to a taxi.

Transferring to the metro system can help you get closer to your destination cheaply, leaving any necessary taxi ride to cover the remaining distance between the metro stop and your goal costing only 11-20 RMB. Your total trip shouldn’t cost more than 55-80 RMB, and you didn’t have to worry about getting ripped off. If you have a lot of luggage, however, you would’ve had to carry/drag it to the MagLev, off the MagLev, through the subway station, onto the subway, through any subway transfers, out the subway station, and maybe onto a taxi. If you don’t have a lot of crap or you’re a rugged individual, you’re golden.

Switching to a taxi directly at Longyang Road Station would usually be fine if you’re destination is within the Pudong side of downtown. Just be aware that there are shady taxi drivers waiting at Longyang Road Station also, since there are enough gullible foreigners coming out of the MagLev for them to still take advantage of. Fortunately, the city sometimes posts someone at the taxi queue to advise foreigners on how much you should expect to pay to get where you’re going. Regardless, your total trip shouldn’t cost more than around 70-100 RMB.

When: MagLev operates between 6:45am to 9:32pm, at 15-20 minute intervals. The Shanghai Metro typically operates between 5:30am to 11:00pm, depending on the line.

How: The MagLev station is located directly in the middle between Terminals 1 and 2, which you can walk to via several long indoor corridors. If you see the KFC, you’ve reached the Airport station, so enter opposite the KFC and purchase your ticket. One-way will be 50 RMB, or 40 RMB if you can show them your airline ticket. Once you’re in the MagLev train, stow your luggage, and prepare for, uh, a really fast train ride.

The MagLev will reach peak speeds of 430 km/hr during most of the day while the early morning and late evening trains only go up to 300 km/hr, ostensibly to conserve power. Again, the ride will be over in as short as seven minutes. It isn’t much time to enjoy the scenery, but highlights include the the train banking as it turns and first-time passengers getting the shit scared out of them as the train passes the other train going the other direction. Boom.

Once you get to Longyang Road Station, decide if you want to transfer to the Metro or take a taxi to continue to your destination.

If Metro, follow the signs, go down the escalators, and cross over to the Line 2 Metro station of the same name. The Line 2 subway goes East-West across Shanghai, with interchanges for Lines 1, 3, 4, 6, and 8 (basically everything). UrbanRail.net has a useful subway map here. Depending on where you want to go in the system, fare will cost you 3-6 RMB. You can purchase your metro ticket at one of the ticket vending machines (which have English) or from a nice ticketing person located behind some glass in a booth nearby.

If taxi, follow the signs, go down the escalator, and look for the taxi queue.

Method 3: Airport Shuttle Bus (then Taxi)

Why: Cheap. The airport shuttle bus system will only cost you 15-30 RMB to get you to most major destinations in the city center. This is what the vast majority of the locals use. It may be the slowest option, but honestly not by much. Like riding a taxi, you get a much more scenic route entering downtown Shanghai on surface streets. Unlike riding the taxi, you avoid the risk of getting ripped off, which would be the “scenic route” you don’t want to take. Once you reach the stop nearest where you want to go, you can always hop into a taxi for the last leg of your journey. All told, using the shuttle bus will be approximately 60-75% cheaper than using a taxi only, and you got a chance to make new friends. Everyone wants friends. If your destination is in the city center and you choose the right bus line to take, your total trip should only cost about 30-50 RMB.

When: Operates from 7:00 am to 11:00pm.

How: As you exit the terminal and into the main arrival reception area, look for signs directing you towards the airport shuttle buses. You will exit and likely see several buses waiting at the curb, each with a different number. There should be a large sign and map along the wall that details the route of each bus line, including their stops. More information can be found here. If you’re uncertain, you can ask for assistance at a nearby ticketing window. There should also be someone standing in front of each bus whom you can try asking. Don’t expect perfect, if any, English.

If you’re transferring directly to Hongqiao Airport, you’ll want Line 1. I don’t know where you’re going, but Shanghai will miss you. For everyone else arriving for the main attraction, you’ll probably be using Lines 2-8 depending on where your destination is in the city center.

Don’t worry about buying a ticket just yet. Just find the right bus line to hop on. Only after the bus begins moving will someone come by to collect fare. Your fare will be based on what stop you want. Once you get to your stop, hop off and don’t forget your luggage. If you need to, hail a taxi to complete your journey.

And there you have it…

I personally usually use method 2 or 3, depending on whether the MagLev is operating or not when I need to get to or get away from PVG. Having lived in Shanghai for quite some time, I know the city’s layout fairly well. Not only does this help me avoid getting ripped off by sneaky taxi drivers, it’s also why I feel perfectly comfortable and even prefer using methods 2 and 3 to not even have to deal with airport taxis at all.

Unfortunately, if you’re new to Shanghai, you may not enjoy the same confidence I do. Taxis are tempting for the convenience they offer, especially when you don’t know your way around a big, unknown city. There certainly are honest taxi drivers, but I’ve heard too many horror stories. I don’t want your first experience in Shanghai to give you such a poor impression of what is otherwise a fascinating metropolis with plenty of positive things to share. My advice is to jump in and start learning the other forms of transportation, because they’re part of Shanghai’s splendor too.

Good luck and welcome to Shanghai.

Links:

• Shanghai Airport Authority
• Shanghai MagLev
• Shanghai Metro
• Min’s coverage of the new Terminal 2 at PVG

Have questions? I’ve got answers (uh, maybe). Feel free to ask in the comments.

1. From Shanghai city to T2

- By Taxi or Self-driving: You are supposed to be driving on A20 express way (A20 outer ring road) to Pudong Iinternational Airport and the take A1 to the terminals. There will be sign saying “Terminal 2″ (left lane) and “Terminal 1″(right lane) at an intersection. Pay attention to “arrival” or “departure” sign.

• T1: departure level only connect to T2 departure level
• T1: arrival level doesn’t connect to T2, you need to take a U turn at Hangtianwang Rd.
• T2: both departure and arrival levels connect to T1

- By Airport Maglev: The Maglev railway lays in the middle of the two terminals. It is about 10 minutes walk between T1 and T2. So you want to confirm the direction before you walk, especially when you have huge luggage with you.

- By Airport Shuttle Bus: The shuttle bus will stop at T1 first and then T2. It is said that you can check the terminal information of the flights on the airport shuttle bus TV so that you will know where to get off.

2. Travel between T1 and T2

- Yellow Shuttle Bus: There are free shuttle buses (a kind of yellow color 13-seat van) that travel between two terminals from 6am to 9pm, departing at 10 minutes interval. There are two bus stations in T1: Domestic Gate 1, International Gate 8, and 2 in T2: Iinternational Gate 23, Domestic 27 (all are gates on departure level). The shuttle bus is a good option if you have large luggage.

- On Foot: The distance between T1 and T2 is about 500 meters . There are three hallways for visitors to walk between T1 and T2. Usually it will take you less than 10 minutes if you have light luggage.

This is a hallway connecting T1 & T2, image took from T2.

3. T2 to Shanghai Downtown

- By Taxi: On ground level

- By Airport Shuttle Bus: It is about 5-10 minutes walk between shuttle bus station and taxi station, which is not very convenient if you want to take shuttle bus when you find out taxi line is too long. The shuttle bus will stop at T1 first and then T2. So there will be a chance that you can’t get onto the shuttle bus on T2 on peak hours.

- Maglev：Maglev is connected to Metro Line 2 at Longyang Rd. Station. Fee for single ride has dropped to RMB 50 from RMB 75; a discounted price is RMB 40 if you have the airticket of the flight on the same day.

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